Meyers-Milias-Brown Act: impasse procedures.

The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act requires the governing body of a local public agency to meet and confer in good faith regarding wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment with representatives of a recognized employee organization. The act requires, if an agreement is reached, that the parties prepare jointly a nonbinding written memorandum of understanding of the agreement that would then be presented to the governing body or its statutory representative for determination. This bill would require that, if a tentative agreement is reached by the parties, the governing body vote to accept or reject that agreement within 30 days of the date it is first considered, as specified. The bill would not bar the filing of a charge for failure to meet and confer in good faith if the governing body rejects the tentative agreement. The bill would further require the parties to jointly prepare a written memorandum of understanding upon adoption of the tentative agreement by the governing body. Under existing law, a written agreement to submit to arbitration a specified controversy is valid, enforceable, and irrevocable, except if grounds exist for the revocation of the written agreement. This bill would additionally provide that an arbitration agreement contained in a memorandum of understanding entered into under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act is enforceable, as specified.